Automatic water leveler



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. l2, 1940. J, AMQN` AUTOMATIC WATER LEVELER Filed oct. 1o, .1938 Y Jizenvrt- JOSEPH AMON Nov. l2, 1940. J, AMoN AUTOMATIC WATER LEVELER 2 Sheets-Sheet 42 Filed 0G11. l0, 1938 Indem-Zo,

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED S'Iifllzls .PATENT OFFl-'CE 2,221,293,7 y 1 AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL-En Jcseph Amon, Rahway, N. J. Application October 10, 1938i, Serial No. 234.122

' iolaim, (o1. ss-125) This invention relates to `an apparatus for lnioistening and conditioning yarn for use in knitting machines and more particularly to an arrangement for automatically insuring the maintenance of a uniform and constant liquid level in a plurality of yarn moistening troughs `disposed in conventional end-to-end relation and in operative position with respect to the knitting machine.

As is well-known in the art to which this in ventionpertains, the straight or full-fashioned knitting machines such as are presently employed for knitting full-fashioned hosiery are customarily equipped with moistening troughs through which the yarns pass on their way to the Ythread carriers which deliver the yarns to the needles. These moistening troughs containfwater or other suitable liquid which wet the yarns and so deliver them for eicient manipulation by vthe needles, sinkers and dividers during the knitting process. Inasmuch as the conventional flat knitting machine is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced banks o-i needles land associated mechanisms to provide for the simultaneous knitting on a machine 'of a'plurality of knitted blanks, it has been the conventional practice to provide each bank of needles with a separate moistening trough through which the yarns are fed to said bank oi needles. In order to insure that all of the yarns Whichlare .delivered to the several banks of needles oith'e knitting machine are subjected to the saule conditioning treatment, it has been necessary .for the operator of the machine to periodically examine the several yarn moistening troughs to Js'ee that each contains its requisite supply 'of yarn conditioning liquid because obviously variations in the wetting oi the yarns passing through `the several meistening troughs will result in a lack of uniformity in the several fabric blanks being knitted on the machine. Also, this need for examining and individually replenishing the supply of the yarn conditioning liquid in each of the moistening troughs is time consuming and at "best does not insure such a constant maintenance of a uniform level of yarn conditioning liquid in all of the moistening troughs that all of the yarns which pass through the latter are uniformly saturated.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a means for insuring automati cally the maintenance of a constant and uniform level of yarn conditioning liquid in all of the yarn moistening troughs, thereby eliminating the necessity of frequent inspections of the troughs by the operator at the same time that the several necessity of frequent inspections of the troughsv by the operator at the same time that the several yarns which are delivered through the trough are 'insured a uniform moistening treatment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, assembly, location and relative arrangement of parts, as shown in the accompanying drawings, as described more fully hereinafter, and as finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

AFig-ure v1 is a perspective view showing the automatic liquid leveling device constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles .of the present invention;

Figure`2 isa vertical cross-sectional view showing the 'details of the float-controlled vla'lve by means of which the moistening troughs are supplied ywit-h water as required;

Figure 3 `is a view partly in section showing a preferred means of connecting the mechanism ofk the present invention to an yavailable water line;

Figure 4 is a rear View of a portion of a knitting machine .showing the apparatus roi" the present .invention operatively associated therewith;

Figure l5 is a. transverse sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the master trough showing one means for supporting itin position; and

Figure 7 is a view of .the supporting means which may be employed for supporting the yarn moistening troughs and the master trough in operative position.

Upon reference to the Aaccompanying drawings, it will Abe observed that Figures 4 and 5 'thereof illustrate the application of the present invention to a flat or yiull-fasl'iioned hosiery knitting machine of which `only three sections are shown, it being understood, of course, that each such machine may include as many .as 'twelve or more identical knitting sections. Each of these sections is provided with its own supply of yarn which is conventionally in the form of :a plu# rali-ty of yarn bobbins H! suitably disposed in a humidi'fyi-ng 'box or chamber' zll,pt'he yarn as needed being supplied from this chamber to and through its associated yarn conditioning trough I2 from whence it emerges in moistened condition for immediate delivery to the knitting ele- 5 ments (not shown) of the machine. It is customary to provide as many yarn conditioning or moistening troughs as there are knitting sections to a machine, these troughs being supported at the rear of the knitting machine immediately above the humidifying boxes and disposed in endto-end relation.

As clearly appears in Figure 4, the several troughs I2 are joined together by means of glass syphons I3 of inverted U-shape, these syphons being so operative that they insure a uniform liquid level throughout all of the troughs of a given machine.

The present invention provides for the maintenance of a constant level of the liquid in the several syphon-connected troughsand is designed to automatically supply water or other liquid to the yarn-conditioning troughs in a quantity necessary to maintain at all times a predeterminedly xed level of the liquid in the troughs, it being apparent that Without such automatic regulation the liquid level in the troughs would gradually drop due not only to Withdrawal of the liquid from the troughs by the yarns passing therethrough but also to evaporar-ion of the liquid.

This automatic regulation of the liquid level is obtained by the apparatus; d esignated generally by the reference numeral I4 and which includes a master trough I5 adapted to be mounted, in

any suitable manner, at either end of the knitting machine. This master trough I5 is so mounted that it is substantially level and in line with the several yarn conditioning troughs I2.

A syphon tube I6, in all respects similar to the 40 tubes I3, interconnects the master trough I5 with the next adjoining yarn conditioning trough I2 in consequence of which the liquid contained in all of the troughs, including the master trough, is maintained at a uniform level.

45 As appears most clearly in Figures l and 2, the master trough is equipped with a float-controlled valve mechanism I1 which is suitably mounted upon the end Wall I8 of the trough. This valve 50 mechanism, which may be of any desired construction, is preferably of the form shown in Figure 2 having a, plunger type Valve I9 for controlling the delivery of liquid into the trough I5 by way of the liquid delivery passage 2li-2|.

55 This needle Valve I9 is connected by a link 22 to one extremity of a bell-crank 23 pivoted, as at 24, to a relatively xed arm 25, the opposite extremity of the bell-crank being connected to a float rod 26 to the end of which is threadedly 60 secured a, float 21.

Connected to the valve inlet, as at 28, is one end of a coiled and thereby extensible copper tubing 29, the opposite end of which latter is connected to a suitable source of Water or other 65 liquid supply such as the Water pipe 39. Figure 3 illustrates a convenient and efficient means for effecting a connection to an existing Water pipe consisting of a strap valve unit 3| formed of separable parts 32 and 33 designed to be clamped 70- on to the Water pipe and in which the part 32 constituting the valve body of the unit includes a tubular extension 34 adapted for projection into an opening 35 provided therefor in the water pipe. A plunger type valve 36, operated by a 75 handle 31, controls the delivery of Water from the pipe 39 to the master trough I5 by way of the connecting tubing 29.

In normal operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the valve 3B is normally open, while the valve I9 of the float-controlled valve 5 mechanism I'I intermittently opens and closes in accordance with the demands imposed thereon by any iuctuations in the level of the liquid contained in the yarn-conditioning troughs I2. Having established the desired level to be main- 10 tained of the liquid in the troughs I2, the master trough is lled with liquid to that predeterminedly flxed level. As liquid is Withdrawn from one or more of the troughs I2 so that the liquid level; therein drops below* that desired to be 15 maintained, the level of the liquid in the master trough is correspondingly depressed with the result that the float 21 dropsI suiiiciently to open the valve I9. Water is thereupon supplied to the master trough I5 from the pipe 30 or other 20 supply until such time that the level in the troughA I5 rises to the predeterminedly fixed point. Of course, as the level of the Water rises in the master trough a corresponding rise occurs in all of the yarn conditioning troughs I2 so 25 long as all of the troughs, including the master trough, remain interconnected by the syphon tubes I3 and I6. Conversely, a drop in the level of the liquid in any one or more of the yarn conditioning troughs results in a corresponding 30 drop of the liquid level in the master trough, thus calling for a further supply of Water from the main supply, such as the pipe 30. Consequently, the float-controlled valve mechanism I'I operates intermittently to maintain in the master trough I5 and correspondingly in the yarn conditioning trough `I2 a constant level of liquid.

In order to provide for some adjustment in the level of the liquid to be maintained in the 40 troughs; the float 21 is threaded upon the float rod for longitudinal adjustment thereon and, in addition, the valve mechanism and float assembly may be vertically adjusted bodily with respect to the master trough Within the limits of the vertical slot 38 which is provided in the end Wall I8 of the said trough.

The master trough I5 may be rigidly mounted in position upon the frame of the knitting machine by means of a supporting bracket 39, as

shown in Figure 4, or by that type of adjustable supporting bracket 40, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, commonly employed for suspending the yarn conditioning troughs from an upper longil tudinally extending bar of the knitting machine frame, such as the bar 4I in Figures 4 and 5.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications from time to time without departing from the real spirit or general principles thereof and it is accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as Well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

In an apparatus for automatically controlling the level of yarn conditioning liquid contained in a plurality of yarn conditioning troughs arranged in longitudinally spaced end to end relation and independently mounted in position, in combination, a master trough adapted to contain a supply of yarn conditioning liquid, readily removable means loosely connecting said troughs for insuring a uniform level of liquid in all of said troughs, including said master trough, consisting of a plurality of removable Siphon tubes of inverted U-shape respectively disposed in straddling relation over the proximate ends of each pair of adjoining troughs,

`means for connecting said master trough to an external source oi liquid supply, and a oatcontrolled valve mechanism operatively associated with said master trough and operative auin said master trough and correspondingly in said 5 yarn conditioning troughs.-

JOSEPH AMON. 

